


Don't Take it Back

by thenakednymph



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Brotp, F/M, they're adorable I can't even
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 06:10:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4293741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Varric tries to take back a drunken confession.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Take it Back

There was a hesitant knock on the door and Adaar looked up from where she was reading in Josephine's study. Her heart lurched at the sound and part of her wanted to make a mad dash for the War Room to hide, or maybe the desk, just in case it was who she suspected. Few people came in to see Josephine or the War Room save for the advisors and Leliana's people so she supposed it would make sense for someone other than they to knock, but no one ever had. At least not to her knowledge. 

Deciding she was being childish she called out, trying to keep the fear from her voice, her heart hammering. "Come in?"

The door bent inward on its smooth hinges and Varric peeked in, uncharistaristically shy and her heart skittered and skipped at the sight of him, sweat making the book slip in her hands . Maybe running had been a good idea after all. 

Varric ducked his head and stepped inside, his cheeks red. He lingered in the entryway, shutting the door at his back, toeing at the stone floor. Adaar blushed, remembering his drunken confession to her last night after a game of wicked grace. 

So this was his walk of shame. She'd been trying to avoid him all day but there was only so far she could run inside Skyhold and Par Volen seemed a little dramatic. 

Instead of saying anything Adaar ducked behind her book as he approached a few wary steps, counting them one at a time as he did, but he didn't come very far. He lingered at the edge of the stairs, boots peeking just over the edge, hesitant to invade what he saw as her space and they pretended to ignore each other in awkward silence. Apparently he was as embarrassed as she, unsure of how to proceed. 

"About last night," he began slowly, his words thick and awkward, his silver tongue escaping him and Adaar winced. So, no preamble then. No forced attempt at small talk or dancing around the subject. Straight to the point. She almost wished he'd pretend some pretense.

"Varric." She shut the book, trying to hide her growing sense of panic as she turned in the chair to look at him. She remained sitting so they were eye level and because she didn't trust her legs to hold her weight if she'd tried to stand. Her heart was racing so fast she could barely hear and her cheeks burned as she forced herself to confront him. "If you've come to apologize, don't." Her voice was tight with humiliation.

"I was...really drunk," he mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck and Adaar ground her teeth. 

"Stop." She held her hand up to silence him. "I don't want to hear it." She struggled to orient her thoughts, to explain what she was feeling, trying to make him understand. "You called me beautiful." It came out more of an accusation than anything, a challenge, fear making her light headed.

Varric's face was as red as his shirt. It wasn't like him to be embarrassed. Nothing seemed to faze the dwarf, but somehow this one drunken confession had. In spite of her anger Adaar was close to tears and she sagged helplessly in the chair.

"No one's ever called me that before." Her lips trembled and Varric blinked at her in surprise, horrified to see her crying. It was not the reaction he'd expected. 

It took her a moment to go on. "I've never-" She bit her lips, taking a slow breath, knowing her words were slurring and she struggled to make herself clear. "I've never felt beautiful before last night," she admitted, "and even drunk, you made me feel it for the first time, so please," her voice cracked, "please," she begged, "don't take it back." 

The wound to her heart ran deep. It had never seemed important to be seen as beautiful until she grew older and realized she wanted companionship, someone to love her, but growing up around humans had provide few opportunities to be seen as desirable, and even the few Qunari she'd met over the years had turned their noses up at her for being Tal'vashoth.

She'd trusted her men when she'd led a team of mercinaries, but she and her first, a stubborn but quiet Orc, had never developed a romantic relationship. She'd been interested for a short time but their friendship had been one of mutual respect and he hadn't wanted to pursue anything beyond that. She'd respected his decision and it had ended there. 

Varric's confession that she was beautiful had struck her to the core, bringing back memories of old insults from her childhood that still stung and likely always would. Silly things, petty things that shouldn't have mattered but did.

She sniffled and looked away from him, hiding her face in a hand. "Spirits I can't believe I just told you that," she mumbled against her palm. 

Looking up she could barely see him through her tears and flinched in surprise when he touched her face, wiping at her cheeks with his thumbs, cradling her face in his hands. She hadn't heard him step closer.

"Shh," he soothed, still stroking her cheeks. "I'm so sorry." He shook his head slowly. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He stared at her, his gaze flicking between her eyes, his heart aching for her. "And I meant every damn word." Adaar blinked at him, a sad kind of hope in her eyes. "You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen and it's a shame you don't know it.

"I'd gladly tell you how beautiful you are every day.but ony if you want me to." He smiled, trying to make the words light, almost playful. "I just didn't know it would be welcome and I was afraid is made you uncomfortable.

"I'm not asking for anything right now," he went on. "but I'm here, if and when you decide you want me." 

Adaar nodded, her face still in his hands, surprise and relief making her tremble. She'd thought he'd come to laugh it off, to say he hadn't meant it and that would have killed her.

"Are we good?" he asked softly, trying to catch her gaze.

Adaar nodded again, this time with a small smile. "Yeah, we're good." 

Varric gently pulled away, taking a step back, giving her some space and Adaar rubbed away the last of her tears, looking embarrassed. "Ugh," she grunted, "that was humiliating."

Varric smiled, cocky and self assured once again. "Yeah well, you're still pretty, even when you cry."


End file.
